Australian relief force sent in

Three hundred Australian police officers headed to New Zealand last night to relieve their weary Kiwi counterparts and free up resources for the search for survivors in Christchurch.

Prime Minister
Julia Gillard
announced extra Australian assistance as offers of help flowed in from around the world. With the death toll at least 75 including one Australian resident, the UK, US and Japan pledged rescue and medical teams and equipment.

Ms Gillard stressed that the contingent of 300 police, including 50 Australian Federal Police officers, would not be involved in the rescue but would relieve tired New Zealand police officers.

The 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit at 12.51pm local time on Tuesday and toppled buildings, knocked out power and telephone lines, and caused the water mains to burst.

More than 100 people were believed to be trapped yesterday, with the centre of Christchurch a disaster zone. The Pyne Gould Corporation building, Christchurch Cathedral, the Canterbury Television building, numerous churches, the Grand Chancellor Hotel, and Cashel Street pedestrian mall were all severely damaged.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said there was widespread damage to the city’s roads and bridges as well as basic infrastructure such as sewers and water systems.

More than 500 rescuers including police and military personnel worked through Tuesday night and were expected to do so again last night to sift through debris to pull survivors and recover the dead from the rubble.

The port town of Lyttelton was also severely damaged in the quake as was nearby Banks Peninsula.

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Ms Gillard told Parliament that Australians had been touched by the earthquake which had devastated Christchurch. She said she had, only the previous week, addressed the New Zealand Parliament and spoken of the depth of the relationship between the two countries.

“When I spoke those words . . . I could not have foreseen that so shortly afterwards we would be returning to help New Zealand in its hour of need,’’ Ms Gillard said.

Ms Gillard echoed the words of New Zealand Prime Minister
John Key
who said all New Zealanders would walk the long journey of recovery with the people of Christchurch, saying Australians would walk that journey too.

Earlier, Ms Gillard said Australia would, in addition to the 150-strong rescue and medical teams already dispatched, donate $5 million to the New Zealand Red Cross Earthquake Appeal.

Australia would also send a 75-bed field hospital with surgical and medical staff. A 25-strong Australian specialist medical team left for Christchurch yesterday.

Opposition Leader
Tony Abbott
said the Coalition backed the government’s support for New Zealand’s relief and search and rescue efforts.

“As the Prime Minister has said, New Zealanders are family. They are not foreigners and that’s why this disaster has especially touched the hearts of every Australian,’’ he said.

Last night, Foreign Minister
Kevin Rudd
said 937 Australians who were registered as being in Christchurch at the time of the quake, had been confirmed safe. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was seeking to confirm the safety of a further 1352 Australians.

Mr Rudd said a DFAT hotline had taken 7000 calls from concerned families by last night.